Stranded on the line

[123kid]

Just wondering if any of you have been stranded on the trapline
or had to spend a night in the open bush.

[fuzz269]

I have bean stranded over night many times in the bush, not while trapping thow, it was more of an impromto camping trip, oh to b young and foolish again. I went on a 3 day goat hunt once, got up the mountain and hunted about 45 min, then spent 6 days in a pup tent because of now and fog, the mountains arnt a safe place to be fumblin around with no visability. I have had to walk out once on my line and call for a resque sled from a buddy once too, while on my line.

[white316]

In my 28 years trapping,i'd had my share of breakdowns and walked many miles for nothing due to them friggen old skidoo's.
As my quest to catch more fur took me farther and deeper in the bush,the walks got longer.
I spent a few nights sitting out by a fire,or sleeping on the broke down skidoo if it wasn't to cold,it was all part of being a trapper or so i thought.
I never really woried about it,i soon learned to carry spare parts
and fix it on the spot when i could.
One memory back at the camp it went down to - 32 and the tilson carb on the skidoo froze up,spent 3 days in the cabin doing nothing waiting for the cold snap to break.

2005 had to be the worst i left the cabin at day break 67 traps to check on the east line around 930 or 10 it started to rain late in December the rain never stoped and i never either.

It was about 2 hours after dark when i checked the last trap i started to head back and about 27 km away from the camp the 550 artic cat came to a halt,no warning what so ever just,,died i found out it was something with the clutch it worked fine with the belt off,but it was to dark to see what was wrong with it.
If only i had a flashlight.
I was soaking wet and cold,,should i walk the 27 km to the camp or stay and may be able to fix it in the morning when i can see,

I made my choice to stay 97 km from help 27 to the cabin
I tried to get a fire going but every thing was so wet
I could not find anything that was dry,and it was so dark i could not see where i was going,,i had a quart of 2 stroke oil to help start the fire,,but i never worked so hard in all my life to start a fire.
I froze and shivered all night and never slept a wink,my worst experience on the line,,now i carry a over night bag.

Qh yea,,there was a spring clip on the clutch shaft the jumped out of place i took the clutch apart set it back in place and i was off,got to the camp had a big lunch hung my wet clothes by the wood stove and took a little nap.

Remember all you longliners its not a good feeling to be in wet
under shorts for to long.

[oldyote]

Awesome story!

[otter1]

The stupid things I did!

I had the sled loaded and ready to hit the trail after work Friday. The trip was 25 miles to cabin. Halfway there the old Citation decided to blow a piston/bearings. By the time I fooled with it awhile and reluntantly headed out the trail for home, it was getting dark. After walking for four hours a group returning from their sawmill, picked me up. I gort home about eleven at night, otherwise it would have taken me another four to walk the whole distance.

Another time I borrowed my buddies quad to go run my line. It had snowed a little too much for my trike. Not realizing I would burn much more gas with the quad in low gear, I didn't take extra. Well, I had just turned around to begin my trip back when it died for gas. I started walking at two in the afternoon, and arrived to my truck at eleven at night. Fortunately, when I got to the bay, the tide was low making it easier walking on sand and rock rather than on soft bog with snow hiding mud holes, etc.

Another time I had a beaver house set up about ten miles from home. I had the skidoo all hooked up and ready to race away right after work. I knew if I pushed it, I could get there and check the traps before it got too dark. Unfortunately, I forgot to fill the gas tank and about a couple hundred meeters from the beaver house the Skidoo cut out for gas. That night I walked for about two hours when the same gentleman picked me up. He never let me live it down for some time afterwards -- twice in one year. He claimed if it happened the thrid time he was going to swing out around me and let me walk all the way home.

Stranded over night once, but cabin nearby, so nothing major.
Yip! I have had my challenges, some I couldn't help, others - just stupid oversight. But, will probably face another one or two again.